


Stolen

by irismoon



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-24
Updated: 2013-03-24
Packaged: 2017-12-06 08:38:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/733691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/irismoon/pseuds/irismoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shireen has a conversation with the Hound after she recieves an offer for her hand.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stolen

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story awhile back. Sadly, later when I went back to edit it, only the first word was in the file, so i guess there was some error when I saved it. I was so bummed out, I didnt feel like rewriting it for a long time. Then I later read some other stories that used the "mermaid" reference that i used, and again I was sad that my idea wasnt as original as I thought. I've never been as happy with the rewrite, but here it is anyway. 
> 
> Disclaimer: It all belongs to GRRM
> 
> Warnings: None that I can think of
> 
> Spoilers: Thru all the books and the show to be safe.

Shireen Baratheon stood near the gates of Winterfell enjoying the crisp spring breeze. She wrapped her scarf around her head and neck tighter. She hummed a song while she waited for Rickon. He promised her that on the first warm spring day he would take her to the Godswood. 

Rickon had been teaching her all about the old Gods ever since she became an orphan and a ward of Winterfell. For a time she had considered becoming a Septa, she wore the head scarf already to hide her grey neck and cheek. After a time she began to love all the different religions, and found herself unable to fully commit to just one. She had been born and named in the light of the seven, but later worshiped the Lord of Light with her mother and father during the war. After she moved to Winterfell, Rickon began telling her about the old Gods, and when Asha Greyjoy visited she told her all about the Drowned God from the Iron Isles. Shireen knew that across the Narrow sea there were other people and other Gods, and she thirsted for the chance to learn more. 

While she waited she thought of Rickon. She had never been close to anyone in her life before him. Rickon was as wild as his direwolf. Tall and lanky, with wild auburn hair. They had become close as soon as she arrived at Winterfell. He would tell her stories of his life on Skagos, and the adventures he had with a wildling woman named Osha. Fanciful stories of Unicorns and mermaids, and terrible stories of Cannibals and monsters. The two of them had been practically inseparable from the moment she arrived. 

After a time she sadly gave up waiting for him and walked back to the Castle. She saw Rickon standing by the doors. She laughed and hurried toward him, fully prepared to scold him for making her wait on him. As she got closer she saw him looking at her with an odd look on his face. 

"Lady Shireen." he greeted her, coldly, even giving her a stiff formal bow of his head. She looked at him curiously. It was out of character for Rickon to address her in such a way. Rickon hated all the formalities and courtesies. It was the part she loved best about him. That he was never afraid to be himself, never gave in to the pressure to act more like a proper Lord. 

"My Lady," he said shortly, "I would ask for your hand." 

She smiled and took his hand squeezing it slightly. He glared at her, and dropped her hand. "No, I mean in Marriage." He snarled. 

Shireen blushed, embarrassed. "Yes of course my lord." she mumbled. She felt stupid, not having realized his meaning. 

He smiled at her then, looking relieved. "Good, its done." He turned and walked away then, mumbling to himself. 

Shireen felt tears well up in her eyes. She hurried up the stairs to her room. As soon as she shut the door behind her she began to cry in earnest. She sat down at her dressing table and unwound the scarf from her head. She looked in the mirror sadly. 

Her cheek and neck was covered in hard grey scales. She had large ears, and a sharp pointed face. Everyone said she looked like her father, but she barely remembered him. He had been away most of the time when she was a child, and then died during the war. 

No wonder Rickon was so cold to her. She was ugly. She knew that she was. She wasn't surprised at the prospect of their union. The topic had been raised before. She was the only true born Baratheon left. The last of a noble household. A union between the Starks and Baratheons had been planned for two generations now, each time ending in war. This union would finally unite the houses. 

Rickon Stark was handsome, and brave, and Lord of the largest house in the North. He could have any woman he wanted. Of course he was disappointed in having to marry her. She was ugly, plain, boring Shireen. 

She threw herself on her bed and cried harder. 

 

****** 

 

Her maid came to call her to dinner, but she sent her away. She couldn't face everyone now. They were her family and she loved them all, but she needed to be alone. Lady Sansa had rebuilt Winterfell and now it was home to several lost and broken men and woman from the war. People who had no where to go, no homes or family left. Broken allegiances and past sins, they all meant nothing to Sansa. Swear loyalty to her she would take them in. Daenarys was called Mother of Dragons, but here in the north, Lady Sansa was Mother to them all. 

A knock on the door took her away from her thoughts, and she looked up to see Sansa walking in. Shireen felt her anguish rise. The last thing she needed right now, was to be in the same room with the most beautiful woman in the world. As if she needed another reminder of just how ugly she was. 

She gasped as she saw Sansa stop and stare at her. She turned and hurried from the room. Only too late did Shireen realize she had actually screamed her thoughts aloud. She was ashamed. She loved Sansa. She was like a sister to her. Sansa had taken her in, when no one else would. She had always treated her like family. 

The door swung open again and in walked Sandor Clegane, the Hound. He glanced around the room for a moment, before settling himself in an old chair in the corner. She stood and stared at him for a few moments. It was so improper to have a man alone in her room like this. The Hound had never been one to care about manners or what was proper. She knew he would laugh at her if she tried to scold him. He drank from a wineskin and regarded her for a few moments silently. 

"Whats all this about girl?" he growled to her. 

Shireen sat in the chair across from him. "I am sorry I yelled at Lady Sansa." she mumbled softly. 

"Don't waste your apologies on me girl." he mumbled drinking again. After a few moments he sat back in the chair and rubbed his face in his hands. "She is with child. We haven't told anyone yet. She wanted to wait, but soon she wont be able to hide it any longer. She feels awkward, with her body changing and all. She hardly feels like the most beautiful woman in the world right now." he said mocking her.

Shireen pulled out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. "I feel terrible. Lady Sansa has been more than kind to me. I was upset about my face." 

He watched her for a few moments. "It has never seemed to bother you before." He finally said. 

"Lord Rickon asked for my hand today." 

The Hound leaned toward her suddenly serious. "No one will force you to marry if you do not wish to." 

"It's not that at all. I love Rickon. I have been in love with him ever since I came to live here at Winterfell." After a few moments of silence she continued. "I fear he will be disappointed in having me for a wife." She looked down. "Because of my face." she added sadly. 

Sandor stared at her for a time. He drank a bit more. He sat forward in the chair and pulled his hair back away from his own face. "What is wrong with your face? It seems to be all there. You will have to speak loudly, I seem to be missing an ear. He touched his fingers to his scars. Look part of my jaw is missing too." 

She looked away as he continued. "I am probably the ugliest man in the seven Kingdoms. Even without my scars, I still wouldn't be handsome. Yet I seem to be married to the most beautiful woman in the world, as you described her earlier." 

"Its different," she snapped, "I am a girl." 

He roared with laughter at her outburst. "Would you like me to go fetch Lady Brienne? I am sure she has a few stories she could tell you about being an ugly woman. She is a big ugly woman with a damaged face too. Remind me again, who she is married to?" 

"Ser Jaime Lannister." 

"Thats right, the bloody Kingslayer himself. I suppose you are too young to remember him in his glory days. When all the young maidens dreamed of the handsome golden lion." He drank again laughing to himself. "He is definitely the prettier one of the two of them." 

"Its not the same!" Shireen insisted. "The three of you are warriors. Your brave and fought battles. I am just a useless ugly girl. Why would Rickon Stark want to marry me? He is obviously being forced into it." 

Sandor stood then and walked toward the door. "Ask yourself this then girl. When has anyone ever forced the Wild Wolf to do anything?" 

After he left she sat for a long time, staring at her face in the mirror. Finally she picked up her scarf and wound it back around her face, hiding the gray. 

Suddenly her door crashed open. Rickon stood there, looking at her wildly. He stomped into the room, Shaggydog at his heels. 

He grabbed at her shoulders "You dare question my feeling for you!" he screamed. "After everything we have been thru together! You would dare doubt my intentions!" 

"My lord, she gasped, You were just so cold to me earlier, I thought you didn't wish...." she tried to say, stopping with a shriek as Rickon picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. 

"Stupid Sansa. She talked me into trying to court you all proper. I knew I would fuck it up. I'm just going to do what I wanted to do in the first place. I am going to steal you." He stormed out of the room. 

She laughed as he carried her thru the halls and out the front doors of the castle. This was the Rickon she knew and loved. Wild impulsive Rickon. Finally he lowered her back down to the ground. She was dizzy and she clung to him trying to clear her head. She saw that they were in the Godswood. 

"Your my wife now!" he snarled at her. "I stole you proper, so your mine now!" 

She smiled and nodded to him. "Yes, I'm yours." 

He smiled and calmed then. Taking her into his arms, he kissed her passionately. After a moment he pulled away tugging at her scarf. When her face was bare he lightly touched her scaly cheek. 

"How could you ever think I would care about your face. Your my mermaid made flesh." He mumbled. 

Shireen felt tears come to her eyes and she kissed him again throwing her arms around her new husband. Finally when the darkness began to overtake them, he took her arm and led her back to the castle. As they approached, she saw the courtyard was filled with her new family. The mixed lot of them from all over the kingdoms. Everyone cheered as they approached and hugged and kissed them, blessing their new union. 

Taking Sansa aside she hugged her new good sister and tried to apologize for her earlier outburst. Sansa shook her head and laughed, leading her inside with the promise of lemoncakes to celebrate. 

That night, as the moonlight shone on the bed she now shared with Rickon, Shireen decided it didn't matter if she was beautiful or not. She was the happiest woman in the world and that was enough for her.


End file.
